JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...The greatest rivalry this decade in New Jersey Athletic Conference mens soccer had an unexpected additional chapter written as New Jersey City University pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in NCAA Division III this season. Senior midfielder AWAL AHMED (Elizabeth, NJ/Linden) scored on a header just 3:59 into the first overtime period off a lengthy free kick from freshman midfielder JEFFERSON HURTADO (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley) as the Gothic Knights concluded their 2009 season with a stunning upset of nationally #3 ranked and previously unbeaten Montclair State University, in the final NJAC regular season game of the year played Friday at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.

On Senior Day 2009, the win over the Red Hawks—ranked #3 nationally by D3Soccer.com with three first-place votes and #4 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America—represents the highest ranked team NJCU has ever defeated in the 51-year history of the program. It occurred nearly eight years to the day that NJCU, just starting to emerge as a nationally-competitive program, upset then #4 Kean University by a similar 2-1 score in double overtime in the NJAC Semifinals on October 31, 2001.

In a rivalry which has seen some remarkably dramatic endings, the win by NJCU (7-9-2, 1-7-1 NJAC) in the final game of the season snaps Montclair States 19-game NJAC regular season unbeaten streak—23 games including the NJAC Tournament—while also ending the Red Hawks 37-game regular-season unbeaten streak covering all contests.

Ironically, the last team to defeat MSU (15-1-2, 7-1-1 NJAC) during the regular season was the Gothic Knights when NJCU knocked off their rival, 3-0, in Jersey City on October 13, 2007.

The two goals by NJCU marked the first time since November 17, 2007 that Montclair has allowed two goals in any game, regular or postseason, snapping a 40-game streak of surrendering one goal or less. The last team to score two goals against MSU was also the Gothic Knights—in the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 won by the Red Hawks in overtime, 3-2.